A torsion damping device for an automotive friction clutch disc is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,862, which teaches the use of an arrangement having two guide rings, a damper plate and a hub, all mounted coaxially with each other. A guide ring is arranged axially on each side of the damper plate, with respect to which they are able to move rotationally, within the limits of a predetermined range of angular displacement. This movement also takes place against the inhibiting action of a first friction means and first circumferentially acting resilient means, the latter typically being conventional clutch plate springs.
The hub is surrounded by the damper plate and the guide rings, and is arranged so that relative rotational movement can also take place between the hub and damper plate, again within the limits of a predetermined range of angular displacement, and against the action of a second friction means and second circumferentially acting resilient means. Each of the two friction means, first and second, includes a friction ring which is arranged axially between a common one of the guide rings and the damper plate, these friction rings being centered with respect to the axis of the assembly. The first friction ring, i.e. that of of the first friction means, surrounds the second friction ring which is the one forming part of the second friction means.
The assembly operation is carried out as a single station, with the components of the friction disc and its damper being offered up in succession in an axial direction. However, in certain cases, it can be desirable to reduce the number of components to be offered up axially so as to reduce the time spent in on-line assembly, and in particular to form sub-assemblies with a guide ring or the damper plate, this being done in a location which is away from the above mentioned station.